We finished off the tour hiking among the biggest trees I’ve ever seen – here’s my last day and a wrap of my time in Tassie.
Day 6
My final day in Tassie arrived too quick. Side note: I really am turning into an Aussie – why say long words when you can shorten them? We left Strahan early, stopping for breakfast and making our way back to Hobart. Along the way, we stopped in Queenstown to learn a little about the mining that has and is still occurring in the state. En route to Nelson Falls, we travelled the road of ninety-nine bends, and let me tell you I am glad I wasn’t behind the wheel!
Next stop was at Lake St. Clare, where we had an hour to spend, so I went for a little bushwalking with a couple other people who didn’t yet feel like lunch. At Lake St. Clare, we got an up-close-and-personal encounter with an echidna! It was hanging out in the parking lot, doing echidna things. They remind me of hedgehogs, though they do walk like little bears. Peculiar creatures, but perhaps one of my favourites.
Our final stop was at Mount Field National Park, where the last wild Thylacine (aka Tasmanian tiger) was captured in and brought to a zoo, where it died in 1936. It’s mind blowing to think that an animal that roamed the exact grounds I was on less than a century ago will never exist again.
We did a small hike here, past the biggest Mountain Ash (eucalyptus regnans) trees I’ve ever seen. See for yourself!
Then, it was time to fly home. But not before a quintessential JetStar delay! Budget airlines are budget for a reason, it appears. Due to the delay, I ended up taking an Uber home, because the last train on weekdays departs from the city at midnight. An unexpected expense, but not the end of the world.
Budget Breakdown
| Category | Cost ($AUD) |
| Tour | 1080.00 |
| Transportation | 320.85 |
| Food | 230.22 |
| Supplies and Souvenirs | 57.40 |
| Accommodation | 30.00 |
| Total | $1718.47 |
Tasmania was phenomenal, I adored not only the break from the summer heat, but just how wild everything was.
That’s it for now, see you soon!
– Kate
I enjoyed your pics and comments. Did you get a pic of the tiger that went extinct? I would like to see it. I will have to google it. They must have been hunted to death. That is what we humans do best.
How much did the Uber cost?
Love, Gran XXOO
No, it’s extinct, LOL. But they are very much into keeping the spirit of the Thylacine alive – lots of illustrations and souvenirs with it. Humans are the worst 🙁 It was about $30! So not the end of the world, just a nuisance. About a 15 minute drive.